Why is it called Harlem?

Not many people realize that the name Harlem originates from the Dutch name Haarlem. Before evolving into the epicenter of African-American culture and art that Harlem, New York is known as today, it was originally a Dutch village founded in 1658. It was named after the Netherlands city, Haarlem.



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Wealthier blacks moved into the area since due to the Great Migration there was a tremendous increase in the black population of the city. Black churches played a key role in creating black Harlem since they bought the property at depreciated costs and helped many blacks settle there.

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By 1920, central Harlem was predominantly black. By the 1930s, the black population was growing, fuelled by migration from the West Indies and the southern US. As more black people moved in, white residents left; between 1920 and 1930, 118,792 white people left the neighbourhood and 87,417 black people arrived.

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